3 Doors Down - Let Me Be Myself

What this video is

Released December 2008 at the onset of the Great Recession, 'Let Me Be Myself' occupies a unique intersection of rock music, pop advertising culture, and identity politics. The GEICO Caveman — a mascot built on themes of social marginalization and stereotype — became an unlikely vehicle for a post-grunge power ballad about authenticity. The band-initiated brand partnership was a then-novel form of branded…

Why it matters

Represents a key late-period artifact of the post-grunge power ballad tradition, carrying forward the lineage of 3 Doors Down's 'Here Without You' and 'Be Like That.' Simultaneously, the GEICO integration marks an early mainstream example of music video as branded entertainment — a format that…

The director

Wayne Isham (born December 2, 1958, Vinita, Oklahoma) is an American film and music video director. A UC Santa Barbara alumnus, he has helmed over 150 music videos since the 1980s for artists including Metallica, Bon Jovi, Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys,…